A Family Planning 2030 report states that at least 141 million unwanted pregnancies were averted last year following an increase in the demand for contraceptive pills especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

Women in low- and lower-middle income nations are taking care of their bodies more and have resorted to contraception rather than undergo abortions that could lead to complications and maternal deaths.

Over 29 million unsafe abortions and 150,000 maternal deaths have been avoided by these women who seek to control when they can have babies.

“The past ten years have been full of obstacles for country health systems – wars, political upheavals, natural disasters, deadly disease outbreaks, and lately the COVID-19 pandemic – yet through it all, women everywhere have continued to seek out and use modern contraception in ever-growing numbers,” said Dr Samukeliso Dube, Executive Director of FP2030. “What our latest report shows is just how unstoppable the demand for modern contraception is: women want to control whether and when to have children, and how many children to have.”

The report estimates 371 million women of reproductive age in low and middle income nations now rely on contraception.

The report said the growing demand for contraceptives must be met with quality and consistent pills.

“This report shows us that despite progress in recent years, there is still much work to be done when it comes to meeting the needs of women of reproductive age in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Jason Bremner, FP2030 Senior Director of Data and Measurement. “If this rising demand is not met by high quality services, consistent contraceptive supplies, and supportive policies and financing, it will be a missed opportunity for millions of women—and for our collective futures.”

In Africa, the FP 2020 measurement report gathered data from 15 African countries which include Nigeria, Republic of Niger, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda.

The report examined the various family planning techniques used by women to avoid getting pregnant and considered factors like age, location, marital status, and other things.

It was discovered that young married women between 15 and 24 years preferred injections and pills while unmarried sexually active women in the same age range favoured condoms.

However, according to the survey, implants are the most common in 10 countries and second in 14 additional countries.